More local chefs' pickling recipes!

Generous New Orleans chefs Eman Loubier, Stephen Stryjewski and Tory McPhail gave me more recipes than I could jam into our pages. Scroll down for recipes for Cochon's watermelon rind pickles and pickled green tomatoes; the pickled okra from Dante's Kitchen; and three recipes from Commander's Palace, including their Quick refrigerated pickled mirlitons, pickled peppers and Quick pickled grapes.

Cochon's watermelon rind pickles

Makes 4 quarts

4 quarts watermelon rind

3 tablespoons pickling lime

2 quarts cold water

8 cups sugar

1 quart white vinegar

1 quart water

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Tie in a spice bag:1 tablespoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon whole allspice

1 tablespoon whole coriander

¼ teaspoon mustard seed

1 large piece of ginger

3 sticks cinnamon

Prepare the watermelon rind by removing the green outer skin and the pink interior and cut into 1-inch by 1-inch pieces.

Dissolve the lime in 2 gallons of water. Add the rind and soak for 12 hours. Drain and rinse the rind 3 times, or until the water runs clear.

Add remaining ingredients to a very large non-reactive pot and bring to a simmer. Add the rind and simmer over low to medium heat until the rind takes on a translucent appearance.

Pack the rind and liquid into hot sterlized jars.

Can in water bath for 10 minutes.

Cochon's pickled green tomatoes

15 pounds green tomatoes

¾ cup salt

3 quarts distilled white vinegar

3 quarts water

20 cloves garlic

¼ pound fresh dill

½ cup allspice

¼ cup cloves

24 bay leaves

Wash and quarter the tomatoes and place in a 5-gallon bucket with the dill.

Combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Pour over tomatoes and refrigerate for 1 week.

To can: Divide quartered tomatoes and dill into sterilized quart jars. Cover with boiling liquid, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Allow to mellow at least one week before eating.

Pickled okra from Dante's Kitchen

Makes 2 wide-mouth quart jars

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 2/3 cups white vinegar

4 cups water

10 garlic cloves, cut in half

5 bay leaves

6 dried chiles

1/2 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1/4 tablespoon mace

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 pound fresh okra

Combine sugar, vinegar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Mix all spices and salt in a small bowl. Wash and trim okra, then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Divide okra and spices into wide-mouth canning jars. Pour boiling pickle base into jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. lid- band- process the same way.

Let jars mellow for three weeks before using.

Commander's Palace's recipe for Quick refrigerated pickled mirlitons

3 mirlitons, seeded, sliced and rinsed

1 ¼ cups seasoned rice wine vinegar

¾ cup cold water

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, whole or sliced

Sterilize a 1-quart Mason jar. Place mirlitons in the jar.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over mirlitons. Cover with lid and refrigerate overnight.

Commander's pickled peppers

Makes 2 quarts

1 cup cane vinegar

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoon (approximately 1) shallot, sliced

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons whole coriander

2 cups water

1 ½ pounds banana or other sweet peppers, large ones cut into 2 or 3 sections

2 ounces cayenne or other hot peppers

Sterilize 2 mason jars. Combine first 7 ingredients and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Cut 2 slits in each pepper and arrange in jars. Pour hot liquid into jars. Tap each jar lightly to ensure pickling liquid gets into all the peppers.

Place lids loosely on jars and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Rinse and dry the grapes, and pull them carefully from their stems. Using a small, sharp knife, trim away the "belly button" at the stem end of the grape, exposing a bit of the flesh inside. Put the grapes into a medium bowl, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then pour the mixture immediately over the grapes.

Stir to combine. Set aside to cool at room temperature.

Pour the grapes and brine into jars with tight-fitting lids (or cover the bowl with plastic wrap), and chill at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve cold.